For a happy 4th of July try Governors Island with Rosanne Cash
Happy Independence Day! For those who may have forgotten what the fuss is all about, I recommend reading out loud the Declaration of Independence which lays out the basic case for throwing off the King’s yoke as well as laying out key principles that are fundamental to the American idea.
For those of us in New York City today, a great place to enjoy the beautiful weather is by visiting Governors Island. This former military base is now open to the public for recreational, educational and cultural activities. It’s accessible by free ferry from the Battery Maritime Building in lower Manhattan and from Pier 6 at the foot of Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, in the new Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Any weekend is a great time to go to the Island for a picnic, or to tour the national monuments or see the artworks on display, but today you can also enjoy a free concert by singer/songwriter Rosanne Cash at 2PM. It’s sponsored by Trinity Church and the Governors Island Alliance (with which I am involved). We'll be there, so look for me on the lawn.
Recently, the Governor and the Mayor entered into an agreement transferring control of the Island from an Empire State Development Corp. subsidiary to a new entity to be controlled by the City. The agreement reflects both Mayor Bloomberg’s enthusiasm for the adaptive re-use of the Island, and the State’s present dire financial condition. Let’s all hope that this is a step forward(.pdf) for the Island’s momentum.
